@ Books LIVE

South African photographer Obie Oberholzer has written about Jacques Pauw’s book, Rat Roads, about Rwandan-born Kennedy Gihana who literally walked from Rwanda to South Africa after surviving the 1994 genocide.

Oberholzer called the book “a must read for anyone who loves and travels this African continent”, saying that it “illustrates the pinnacles of evil, goodness and determination”. Oberholzer also shared a story of a man he encountered in 1994 near Lake Victoria, whose family had been murdered in front of him. Oberholzer said that he often wonders what became of him after he gave him a lift to the Kenyan border and watched him walk away:

I have just read Jacques Pauw’s latest book, ‘Rat Roads’ (Zebra Press) and am still shaking somewhat. It’s bloody spine chilling stuff. What an incredible depiction of one man’s journey: all the way from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda to South Africa. It illustrates the pinnacles of evil, goodness and determination. Congratulations to Jacques Pauw on portraying this man and his unbelievable story. This is a must read for anyone who loves and travels this African continent.